Roughage mill



y 24, 1934- v J. HOLLAND-LETZ 1,967,313

ROUGHAGE MILL Filed Jan. 11. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 1934- J. HOLLAND-LETZ 1,967,313

ROUGHAGE MILL Filed Jan. 11. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 {8 azzmlzeg W ag , 55 May 18, 1931.

Patented July 24, 1934 PATENT oer-Ice ROUGHAGE MILL John Holland-Leta. Crown Point, ma, assignor to The Lets Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Indiana Application January 11, 19:2. semi: No. 885.850 15 Claims. (01. 83-11) The present invention is directed generally to roughage mill, but more particularly to an improved and compact form of roughage mill which is capable of producing a variety of. different types of forage and in which the capacity thereof is increased to a maximum.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provides. simple and compact formpoi' improved roughage mill having incorporated therein a separating mechanism for separating the l ghter materials irom the heavier materials and permitting the heavier materials to be subsequently ground and mixed with the lighter materials.

is A further object of the invention is to provide a novel, improved and simplified construction of a roughage mill in which various types of grain may be ground separately and subsequently mixed with various other types of material reducedby the cutting mechanism.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel, improved and compact form of roughage mill in which the number of parts thereof is reduced to a minimum and the various mechanisms so arranged and constructed that the machine may be adjusted so as to produce a variety of forage.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved form of rotary valve for 0 controlling the communication between the cutter head, grinding mechanism and mixing mechanism. i

These and other objects are accomplished by providing a construction and-arrangement of the various parts in the manner hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view. partly in cross section showing one form of my improved roughage mill;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary and longitudinal cross sectional view of the same;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view showing the rotary valve in one position in which it cuts off communications between the cutterhead' and the separating mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the removable plate through which the valve 50 mybeadjusted: and h a v Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the rotary valve. The present invention is an improvement over my copending applications Serial No. 451,101,

filed May 9, 1930 and Serial N0. 538,044, filed,

.For the purpose of illustration 1 have shown my improved roughage mill as comprising a frame structure generally indicated by the reference character 10 which is preferably mounted on and secured to a base or platform 11 of any convenient form. Mounted in the main frame structure in suitable bearings therein, is a main drive shaft 12 which has secured thereto a conventional form of rotary cutter head generally indicated by the reference character 13. Surrounding the lower portion of the cutter head is a grate or concave 14 which'extends from a cutter bar 15 to an upper rear portion of the cutter head housing 16. Secured to the shaft 12 adjacent the outer end thereof are two spaced apart pulleys 1'1, one of 7 which forms the drive which is connected to the source of power, while the other operatively drives the grinding mechanism or hammer mill hereinafter described. The main shaft 12 is also journaled in a bearing bracket 18 which in turn is iii secured to the main frame of the mill. The bracket 18 has formed integrally therewith, a stub shaft support 19 which supports one of the train of gears generally indicated by the reference character 19' for. operatively driving the various parts of the mill in the manner more specifically described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 180,085, filed April 1, 1927. Positioned between the ,delivery end of the endless belt 20 and the cutter head is an idle feed roller 21. P051- tioned above the idle-feed roller 21 and the deliv-' cry and of the endless belt 20 is a floating feed belt generally indicated by the referencecharacter 22. Positioned over the floating feed belt 22 is a housing or hood, generally indicated by the reference character 23. Mounted within the housing 24 is an elevating fan, generally indicated by the reference. character 25. This fan 25 is partitioned ofl' from the cutter head casing by a division wall26. Located below the cutter head Y l3 and grate 14 is a conveyor trough 27 which has mounted therein a conveyor screw 28. The conveyor screw 28 is mounted on suitable shaft 29, which in turn, is iournaled in suitable bear-1. v lugs 30 located in the opposite ends of the conveyor trough. Secured to the shaft 29 adjacent one end of the conveyor screw and below the eleing material such as grain through an adjustable opening 35 into the grinding mechanism hereinafter described. Mounted below the hopper and conveyor screw 28 in a suitable frame structure or casing 36 is a grinding mechanism or hammer mill 38. The hammer mill is of the conventional form of hammer mill head and is secured to a shaft 39 which in turn is mounted in suitable bearings 40 located in the opposite side walls of the hammer mill casing. Surrounding the lower portion of the hammer mill is a concave or grate 41 which cooperates with the hammers of the rotary hammer mill for comminuting the material fed therethrough. Positioned below the concave and encasing the lower portion of the hammer mill proper is a substantially U-shaped trough 42 which is secured between the side frame members of the hammer mill casing. Secured to the shaft 39 is a mixing fan generally indicated by the reference character 43. The fan 43 is mounted within a fan casing or housing 44 located to one side of the grinding mechanism or hammer mill. One side of the fan casing 44 is provided with an axial circular opening, as shown at 45, and is connected by means of a conduit 46 to a circular opening 47 located at one side of the hammer mill housing at a point below the concave 41. The opening in the fan housing 44 also communicates by means of a conduit 48 with the delivery end of the trough 27. Connected tangentially to the fan casing and extending vertically upward is a material delivering conduit 49 which may be connected to a suitable receptacle into which the material after being mixed may be delivered.

In the manner described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 538,044, I have provided a separating mechanism for separating the lighter materials from the heavier materials after the same has been cut by the cutter head mechanism so that the heavier materials may be permitted to pass through the grinding mechanism and subsequently mixed with the lighter material for making various types of forage. This mechanism is identically like the separating mechanism specifically described in the above aforementioned co-pending application and includes a cylindrical separator or cylinder 50 which is preferably located above and supported on the hopper- 32. The upper end of the cylinder is connected by means of a conduit and elbow generally indicated by the reference character 51 tothe lifting fan casing in which the fan 25 is mounted. The upper end of the conduit 51 is connected tangentially at the top of the cylindrical separator for delivering the material elevated by the elevating fan 25 in a swirling direction within the cylindrical separator. Connected with the upper axial center of the cylindrical separator 50 is a U-shaped elbow generally indicated by the reference character 52 which, in turn, is connected by a vertically disposed conduit 53. Connected to the conduit 53 is a lower elbow 54 which in turn, conducts the lighter material separated by the separator through an aperture 55 to a point below the hammer mill and into the trough 42 located below the concave 41.

One of the essential features of the present invention involves a novel valve mechanism which permits my improved roughage mill to be adjusted so as toproduce various types of forage and permits the material to be conveyed directly from the cutting mechanism into the separating mechanism where the lighter materials are separated from the heavier materials and the heavier materials permitted to be further comrninuted and subsequently mixed with the lighter materials thereby increasing the capacity of the machine, or the machine may be so adjusted so that the material, that is, the entire material cut by the cutter head mechanism, may be conveyed directly to the hammer mill or grinding mechanism and there further reduced without passing the same through the separating mechanism. In addition thereto, additional grains may be added through the hopper for mixing it directly with all the material passing through the cutting mechanism. If the operator desires, he may eliminate the use of both the separating mechanism and the grinding mill and utilize the machine as a conventional type of ensil'age cutter. This novel valve mechanism includes oscillatable or revolvable valve generally indicated by the reference character 56, which in turn is mounted in circular grooves 57 formed in the opposite side walls of the elevating fan casing in which the fan 25 is mounted. (See Figs. 3 and 4.) These grooves are formed between two inwardly extending flanges 58 and 59. The rotatable valve 56 may be locked in the'position shown in Fig. 1 or the position shown in Fig. 3 for controlling the communication or passage of the material from the cutter head from passing through the separating mechanism and directing the same either to the mixing fan mechanism or grinding mill or vice versa by means of a bolt 60 which is adapted to extend through the side walls 24 of the conveyor screw housing and through an ear 61 or 62 formed adjacent one edge and on the opposite ends of the valve 56 as clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. Access to this valve may be had through the removable plate generally indicated by the reference character 63 which in turn is provided with two right angularly extending flanges 64. These flanges are bolted by means of bolts 65 to the side walls or frame of the rough! age mill proper. This casting or removable plate 63 is provided with an inwardly extending flange 66 which is adapted to engage one edge of the lug 61 as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings when in one position and to engage one edge of the lug 62 when shown in the other position shown in Fig. 1. Positioned below the opening located at the delivery end of the conveyor trough 27, which occurs by positioning the rotary valve 56 .in the position shown in Fig. 1, is a second valve 67 which is pivoted as shown at 68 and 89 so as to assume the full line position or the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1 for directing the material from the cutter head either to the hammer mill or directly to the mixing mechanism or fan 43. This valve 67 is provided with a forwardly extending shaft 70 and operating handle '71 so that the same may be operated to assume either one of the two positions shown in Fig. 1.

The operation of my improved roughage mill is as follows:

Let us assume that the rotary valve 56 is adjusted so as to occupy the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1 which is the same as the full line position shown in Fig. 4, and that the valve 67 is in the position shown in vfull line position in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the material is conveyed by the conveyor 20 into the cutter head 13 where it is cut and passed through the concave 14 into the conveyor trough 27 where it is conveyed to the left as shown in Fig. 1 and is elevated by the elevating arm 31 up through the fan housing by means of the fan 25 into the separating mechanism 50 where the heavier material is separated from the lighter material and the heavier material is permitted to drop into the hopper 32, while the lighter material is conveyed to the elbow 52, conduit 53 into the compartment below the hammer mill 38 while the heavier material is conveyed by. the screw conveyor or worm 34 through the opening 35 into the hammer mill where it is further-comminuted and passed through the concave 41 where in turn, it is drawn up through the conduit 46 into the fan housing 44 where it vis mixed with the lighter material. All of the material is'then elevated by the fan 43 through the conduit 49into any suitable receptacle. If the operator desires to readjust the machine, the plate 63 is removed by removing the bolts 65 after which the bolt 60, which extends through the ear 61 may then be removedand the rotary valve revolved from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in full line in Fig. 1. In this case, the valve 67 may be positioned in the full line shown in Fig. 1. When the machine is thus adjusted, the machine is then particularly adapted for the preparation of alfalfa meal, in which case the alfalfa is cut by the cutter heads 13, where it passes through the concave 14 into the conveyor trough 27 and subsequently conveyed tothe left as shown in Fig. 1 through the opening on the lower side thereof and passed into the hammer mill 38 where the same is further comminuted and passed through the concave 41. In this connection it will be noted that additional grain may be inserted 'into the hopper 32 and be groundwith the alfalfa being passed through the cutter head if desired.

From the above description it will bereadily seen that I have provided a simple, compact and efficient .roughage mill which, with very slight adjustment, may be arranged so as to produce a variety of forage.

While in the above specification I have described one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, it will of course, be understood that the same is capable of modification and that modification may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the following claims:

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine of the class described comprising aframe, a cutting mechanism mounted on said frame, a grinding mechanism mounted on said frame and located below said cutting mechanism, a separating mechanism mounted on said frame, a conveying mechanism for conveying the material from said cutting mechanism to said separating mechanism, and means for diverting the material from said cutting mechanism directly to said grinding mechanism.

2. In a machine of the class described comprising a frame, a cutting mechanism mounted on said frame, a grinding mechanism mounted on said frame and located below said cutting mechanism, a separating mechanism mounted on said frame, a conveying mechanism for conveying the material from said cutting mechanism to said grinding mechanism, and means for diverting the material from said cutting mechanism directly to said separating mechanism.

3. In a machine of the class described comprising a frame, a cutting mechanism mounted on said frame, a grinding mechanism mounted on said frame and located below and to one side of said cutting mechanism, a separating mechanism mounted on said frame, a conveying mechanism mounted on said frame for conveying the material from said cutting mechanism to said separating mechanism, and means diverting the material from said cutting mechanism directly to said grinding mechanism. 03

4. In a machine of the class described comprising a frame, a cutting mechanism mounted on said frame, a grinding mechanism mounted on said frame and located below said cutting mechanism, a separating mechanism mounted on said frame, a conveying mechanism for conveying the material from said cutting mechanism to said separating mechanism, and means including a rotary valve for diverting the material from said cutting mechanism directly to said grinding mechanism.

5. In a machine of the'class described comprising a frame, a grinding mechanism mounted on said frame and located below said cutting mechanism, a separating mechanism mountedon said frame, a conveying mechanism for conveying the material from said cutting mechanism to said separating mechanism, and valve mechanism for diverting the material from said cutting mechanism directly to said grinding mechanism. I

6. In a machine of the class described comprising a frame, a cutting mechanism mounted on said frame, a grinding mechanism mounted on said frame, a separating mechanism mounted on said frame, a conveying mechanism for conveying the material from said cutting mechanism to said separating mechanism, and a rotary valve mechanism for controlling the passage of the material from said cutting mechanism to said separating mechanism or to said grinding mechanism.

7. In a machine of the class described comprising a frame, a shaft mounted on said frame, a cutter head mounted on said shaft, an elevating fan mounted on said shaft, a conveying mechanism located below said cutter head including a shaft and a worm mounted on said shaft for conveying the material in the direction of said elevating fan, a grinding mechanism including a shaft mounted onsaidframe and a hammer mill mounted on said shaft and located below said cutting mechanism, a mixing fan mounted on said shaft and located adjacent said hammer mill, a separating mechanism mounted on said frame and communicating with said mixing fan and said cutter head mechanism, and means for controling the communication between said cutter head and said separating mechanism and between said cutter head and said hammer mill and said mixing mechanism.

8. In a machine of the class described comprising a frame, a shaft mounted on said frame, a

cutter head mounted on said shaft, an elevating fan mounted on said shaft. a conveying mechanism located below said cutter head including a shaft and a worm mounted on said shaft for conveying the material in the direction of said elevating fan, a grinding mechanism including a shaft mounted on said frame and a hammer mill head mounted on said shaft and located below said cutting mechanism, a mixing fan mounted on said shaft and located adjacent said hammer mill, a separating mechanism mounted on said frame and communicating with said mixing fan and said cutter head mechanism, and a valve mechanism for controlling the communication between said cutter head and said separating mechanism and between said cutter head and said hammer mill and said mixing mechanism.

9. In a machine of the class described comprising a frame, a shaft mounted on said frame, a

cutter head mounted on said shaft, an elevating fan mounted on said shaft, a conveying mechanism located below said cutter head including a .and said cutter head mechanism, and a rotary valve means for controlling the communication between said cutter head and said separating mechanism and between said cutter head and said hammer mill and said mixing mechanism.

10. In a machine of the class described comprising a frame, a cutting mechanism mounted on said frame, a grinding mechanism mounted,

on said frame and located below and to one side of said cutting mechanism, a separating mechanism mounted on said frame, a conveying mechanism for conveying the material from said cutting mechanism to said separating mechanism, a rotary valve for controlling the communication between said cutting mechanism and said separating mechanism, a mixing mechanism mounted on said frame, and a pivoted valve, for controlling the communication between said cutting mechanism and said grinding mechanism and between said cutting mechanism and said mixing mechanism.

11. In a machine of the class described comprising a frame, a main shaft mounted on said frame, a cutter head mounted on said shaft, a separating mechanism mounted on said frame, a lifting fan mounted on said shaft for lifting and conveying the material from said cutter head to said separating mechanism, a conveying mechanism mounted on said frame including a shaft located below said cutter head and a spiral screw mounted on said shaft, a hopper mounted on said frame below said separating mechanism, a

feed screw mounted on said second named shaft.

andlocated in the bottom of said hopper, a grinding mechanism including a hammer mill mounted on said flame, a shaft on which said hammer mill head is mounted, a mixing fan mounted on said last named shaft adjacent said hammer mill, a conduit connecting said separating mechanism and hammer mill with said mixing mechanism, a rotary valve controlling the communication between said cutter head and said separating mechanism, and a pivoted valve located between said mixing mechanism and said hammer mill for controlling the passage of material and directing the same from said cutter head to said hammer mill or to said mixing mechanism.

12. In a machine of the class described comprising a'frame, a cutting mechanism mounted on said frame, a grinding mechanism mounted on said frame below and to one side of said cutting mechanism, a hopper positioned above said grinding mechanism. a separating mechanism positioned above said hopper, means for conveying and elevating the material cut by said cutter head into said separating mechanism, a mixing mechanism located to one side of said grinding mechanism for mixing the material from said separating mechanism with the material from said grinding mechanism, and means for controlling the direction of travel of the material from said cutting mechanism to said grinding mechanism or to said mixing mechanism.

13. In a machine of the class described comprising a frame, a shaft mounted on said frame, a cutter head mounted on said shaft, elevating fan mounted on said shaft, a second shaft mountmounted on said hopper, a conduit connecting said elevating fan with said separating mechanism, a third shaft mounted on said frame, a hammer mill head secured to said third named shaft, a mixing fan mechanism mounted 'on said third named shaft and a conduit connecting the upper end of said separating mechanism with said hammer mill and said mixing mechanism, a conduit connecting said mixing mechanism with said cutter head, a rotary valve controlling the communication between said cutter head and said elevating fan, and a pivoted valve located between said hammer mill and said mixing mechanism for controlling the direction of travel of the material from said cutting mechanism.

14. In a machine of the class described comprising a frame, a cutting mechanism mounted on said frame, a grinding mechanism mounted on said frame, a separating mechanism mounted on said frame, a conveying mechanism mounted on said frame'for conveying the material from said cutting mechanism to said separating mechanism, and a single rotary valve for discommunicating said cutting mechanism with said separating mechanism and directing the material from said cctting mechanism to said grindin mechanism.

15. In a machine of the class described comprising a frame, a cutting mechanism mounted on said frame, a grinding mechanism mounted on said frame, a separating mechanism mounted on said frame, a conveying mechanism mounted on said frame for conveying the material from said cutting mechanism to said separating mechanism, and an oscillatable valve member located in the path of the material travelling from said cutting mechanism to said separating mechanism for discommunicating said cutting mechanism from said separating mechanism and directing the material from said cutting mechanism to 1 said grinding mechanism.

JOHN HOLLAND-LETZ. 

